Railroad-crossing signal



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. S. WOODS. RAILROAD onnssme SIGNAL.

No. 586,471. Patented July 13, 1897.

ATORNE'YS.

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(No Model.) 2.8l1eets--Sheet 2- W. S. WOODS.

RAILROAD cRossING SIGNAL.

No. 586,471. Patented July 13, 1897.

/N VENTO/ William, ,f Wod-s'.

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.and will give the signal with certainty on the -a detail side view ofthe upper portion of the UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

IVILLIAM S. WOODS, OF SULPHUR SPRINGS, INDIANA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,471, dated July 13,1897.

Application filed March 27, 1897.

To all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, WILLIAM S. WOODS, residing at Sulphur Springs, in thecounty of Henry and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Railroad- Crossing Signals, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in signals for railroad-crossings, andhas for its object to provide a simple economical construction whichwill operate efficiently in all weathers approach of a train; and theinvention con` sists in certain novel constructions and combinations ofparts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a signal constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation, part insection, of a portion of the track. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinalsection on about line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an elevation, part insection, of the signal-box. Fig. 5 is signal-box. Fig. 6 is across-sectional view on about line 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail sideview showing the connection between the trippingfdevices and the leverfor elevating the balls, and Fig. S is a detail view.

In carrying out my invention I seek to provide means whereby the descentof a ball or balls in a suitable ballway will sound the signal. I alsoprovide means whereby such ball as it descends will cause the visualsignal to be exposed, thus furnishing both a visual and an audiblesignal. The signalbox A has a suitable frame or casing and is providedwith a ballway down which the balls roll and with signal devices havingportions projecting adjacent to the ballway in position to be operatedas the ball descends. In carrying out this feature of my invention Iform the ballway with a series of consecutive cross-partitions orbande-plates B, inclined reversely and extending from one side of thecase nearly to the other and arranged at their lower ends to dischargeupon the upper end of the next lower plate. By extending the signal-boxvertically and increasing or decreasing the number of baffle-plates thelength of time during which the signal may be sounded may be increasedor decreased as Serial No. 629,523. (No model.)

desired. Adjacent to the ballway I provide a ball-holding chamber C,arranged to contain a column of balls D, which rest at their lower endson a suitable elevating device, preferably a lever E, as shown. At itsupper end the ball-holding chamber is arranged to discharge into theupper end of the ballway, and at the lower end of the ballway itdischarges into the lower end of the ball-holding chamber, so the ballsare used in a circuit, being forced up the ball-holding chamber,discharged one at a time into the upper end of the ballway, pass downthe latter, and are resupplied to the ball-holding chamber at the lowerend thereof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that each operation of the lever Elifts the column of balls one step, the lever then falling to positionto receive another ball. vated balls up, I provide a detent F, which mayconsist, as shown, of several springtongues, which permit the balls tobe forced upward by the lever, but prevent their falling back when thelever moves back to position for another operation. I also provide adetent device f at the upper end of the ballholding chamber to preventthe balls from passing out too freely, as it might happen in operationthat the lever would throw the column of balls up with such force as todischarge more than one ball at each operation. For this reason I preferto use the detent f, which serves as a check and limits the number ofballs discharged at each operation of the device.

In the lower end of the signal-box I arrange a tilting bar G, on theswinging end of which the ball falls just before it passes int-o theball-holding chamber. This bar has on its upper side a stop G, whichprevents the ball from rolling up the bar G. This tilting bar serves toreadjust the visual signal in the manner more fully describedhereinafter.

The audible signal is shown as a bell H, arranged to be struck byhammers I, pivoted between their ends at t' and connected or engaged ati with a vertically-sliding rod J, which has, within the signal-box,projections j, arranged between the lower discharge ends of eachbaiile-plate and the upper end of the baffle-plate next below, so theball as it falls from one baffle-plate onto the other will strike Tohold the eleupon the projection j, depress the rod J, and sound thebell, producing a series of rings as the ball travels the hallway. Ihave shown the bell with two hammers and provide two slide-rods J, oneat each side of the si-gnalbox; but manifestly good results would be-secured with the use of one slide-rod J. The

slide-rods J rest at their lower ends on springs K, which press themupward and serve to holdthem normally elevated and yet permit theiroperation by the descending balls, as will be understood from Fig. 3.

The visual signal is shown as having` a rockshaft L journaled adjacentto a shelf M, on which a lamp or lantern may he placed. On this shaftare secured the semaphore or signal arm N and the light-frames O, whichhave the panes O of red glass. Then the visual signal is exposed, thesignal-arm'N swings horizontally outward and the frames O turn inward onopposite sides of a lamp or lantern placed on the shelf M. I weight therockshaft so it will normally turn to position to expose the visualsignals, and to hold it in such position I provide it with a crank-armI), which swings into engagement with a detent Q, having a projection q,arranged in position to he struck hy the descending ball, preferablyjust as the latter reaches the lower end of the first baffle-plate, asshown in Fig. 3. As the hall descends it will strike projection q,release the detent, and permit the visual signal to swing into exposedposition, where it will remain until the hall depresses the tilting harG, which is connected by a rod g with a crank p on the rock-shaft L,arranged in such manner as to readj ust the said shaft to the positionshown in Fig. 1.

The lever E may be operated in any suitable manner by an approachingtrain. For such purpose I have shown the track with an elevated portionR, which may be depressed by Ithe passing train and will operate by theconnection R to tilt a hell-crank lever S, which connects withintermediate bell-crank levers S' and S2, the latter being connectedwith the lever E by a sliderod S3. This slide-rod as shown in Fig. 4 ispreferred because itmay be operated to tilt the lever E and yet will nothe moved by the operation of such lever by another slide-rod when adouble connection is made with the lever E, as shown in Fig. 7. SpringsT serve to take up slack in the connections between the hell-cranklevers, as will be understood from Fig. 7.

In the operation of my signal on doubletrack railroads the balls are allmade heavy,

so each one will operate the signaling devices,

because the trains always approach the crossing from the same directionson the same tracks; but on single-track railroads, where the trainsapproach the crossing from both directions on the same track, they wouldoperate the signals both on approaching and after leaving the crossingif all the balls were heavy. Therefore on such single-track railroads Iprovide alternate light and heavy balls, so the train approaching thecrossing will throw a heavy ball into the hallway to operate the signal,but will as it leaves the crossing throw a light ball into the hallway,which will pass down without operating the signal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to securehy Letters Patent, is-

l. A signal comprising a main frame or casing having a hallway, a signaland devices connected therewith and projecting adjacent to the hallwaywhereby to he operated by a hall as it descends therein, substantiallyas described.

2. A signal comprising a hallway, a ball or balls to descend therein, asignal, and devices whereby the signal will be operated hy the descentof a ball within the hallway substantially as described.

3. In a signal a main frame or casing having a consecutive series ofinclined cross-par titions or baffle-plates forming a hallway anddevices connected with the signal and projecting into said way, adjacentto said partitions or haine-plates, whereby to he operated by the balldescending therein, substantially as described.

4. In a signal, a casing, a main frame hav-A ing a hallway through whichthe halls may descend and a ball-holding chamber in which a column ofballs may be held, the upper end of such chamber discharging into thehallway substantially as described.

5'. In a signal, the combination of the ball- Way, the ball-holdingchamber communicating at its upper and lower end with the ballway andmeans for lifting said column of balls by which to discharge theuppermost one into the hallway, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising a main frame orcasing having a hallway and a ball-holding chamber, and a signal havinga device projecting into the said hallway for operation by the balldescending therein, substantially as described.

7. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising a main frame, acasing having a hallway, an audible signal, a visual signal and deviceswhereby the descent of halls in the hallway will operate both signals,suhstantially as shown and described.

8. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising a main frame orcasing having a hallway, a ball-chamber and alternate light and heavyballs in said chamber, the signal and means by which the heavy ballswill in their descent operate the signals, substantially as described.

9. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising the main frame orcasing having the reversely-inclined cross-partitions or haflie-platesprojecting from its opposite ends and discharging at their lower endsonto the upper end of the next lower plate, the signal and devicesconnected with the signal and lIO projecting into the path of the ballsdescending on said plates or partitions, substantially as described.

lO. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of themain frame or casing having the ballway, the signal, a slide-rodarranged to operate said signal and devices spaced apart on said rod andarranged for operation at intervals by the ball as the latter descendsin the ballway, substantially as described.

l1. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of themain frame or casing having a hallway, the slide-rod having a pluralityof projections arranged for engagement by theballs descendingin saidballway the bell and the bell-ham mer arranged for operation by saidslide-rod, substantially as shown and described.

12. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising the casinghaving the ballway, the ball-holding chamber discharging at its upperend into said ballway, a lever arranged at one end beneath theball-holding chamber, and adapted to elevate the column of balls thereinand means whereby said lever may be operated, substantially as describedand shown.

13. The combination in an apparatus substantially as described, of theframe or casing having a hallway and a ball-holding chamber adapted tocontain a column of balls and arranged to discharge into said ballway,the elevating device for lifting the said column Ot' balls and thedetent above said device for permitting the passage of the ball restingon said device and for holding the column of balls elevated when lifted,substantially as described.

14. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of thevisual signal, the rock-shaft supporting such signal and having acrank-arm, a rocking bar connected with said crank-arm and arranged tobe operated by a descending ball, and a ball-operated detent for saidrock-shaft substantiallyas described.

15. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising the casinghaving a main portion and a lateral olli-set forming a ball-holdingchamber, discharging at its upper end into the main portion, thebattle-plates in the main portion, the lever operating in the lowerporinto the casing in position for operation by l the balls,substantially as described.

16. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising the casing theslide-rods having projections extending in the casing thereversely-inclined partitions or baffle-plates, the springs bearingbeneath the slide-rods, the balls and means for supplying the balls,substantially as described..

17. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of themain frame or casin g the sign al rock-shafthaving a crank at one endfor engaging the detent and a crank at its opposite end for connectionwith the readjusting-bar, the plates or partitions in the casing forminga hallway, the tilting bar at the bottom of said casing, connectionsbetween said bar and the crank of the rock-shaft and means fordischarging the balls into the ballway, substantially as described.

18. An apparatus substantially as described, comprising the main frameor casing having the ballway, the ball-supporting chamber, theball-elevating lever, the signal devices arranged for operation by thedescending balls, and the trip devices, arranged for operation by thepassing train and connected with the ball-elevating lever, substantiallyas described.

19. An apparatus substantially as described comprising a ballway havinga series 0f sections or stations, a ball or balls descending therein, asignal and devices at each station whereby the ball descending willrepeatedly operate the signal substantially as described.

20. A signal comprising a frame or case having a series of baffle-platesforming a ballway, a ball descending in said ballway and- IOO

